We are now in Frightfest month, and we got the chance to catch up with director John Rosman to talk all about his feature New Life.
Here’s what John had to say –
What can you tell us about writing New Life?
I think the unique challenge to writing New Life was just evaluating all the things I wanted to accomplish with the movie, then editing it down into the simplest story possible.
That’s kind of the universal goal with any project. But with this film there is just…a lot. Two main characters with a mirrored journey, a road movie, an ongoing mystery, exploring ALS, etc. But also, most importantly, it’s a horror movie.
A universal rule, for me, is at some point, no matter how serious the subject matter…a horror movie needs to be fun. There needs to be at least one moment, where you can sit back in your seat and smile at something completely off the wall. Or feel the roller coaster momentum. Or be able to hit the person sitting next to you and say…”What the fuck?”
So trying to make a movie that I cared about, and felt honest in some way, but also not forgetting what I love about horror films was vital and challenging.
Also, the writing process with my producers reading drafts (one being a very pragmatic Brit) is an interesting experience. A lot of complex, wild scenes, would get a friendly but curt “Mate. This isn’t happening.” And then get toned down and reinvented for budget, time and safety. And ultimately, I think, those constraints made the film better.
What your first feature directing experience like?
Incredible. And of course difficult. I think the more time you spend on set, in any capacity, you just get a better understanding and appreciation of how much this process is a collaborative one.
The scope of this film is outrageous for the budget and actual resources we had to accomplish it. So for me, the most rewarding experience was just seeing an incredible group of people rise to the challenge…from pre-production through post…to make this film possible.
There were so many times, so many people could have not cared or just given up. But they really didn’t. They took this project, worked to understand its themes, and then injected their own personalities into it. And with that many people, giving that much of themselves to a project, it becomes much greater than any original intent or inspiration.
Were there any horror thrillers you took inspiration from when crafting this story?
I spent a lot of time in Oregon, and feel deeply connected to the state. And this is very much an Oregon movie. One of my favorite filmmakers is Kelly Reichardt. And WENDY and LUCY is in the core DNA of this film. Other amazing films that are like left-turn north stars are MICHAEL CLAYTON and HEAT.
Then with horror, I tried to take a lot from REPULSION, THE VANISHING (88) and THE STRANGERS.
How important was it to have a character dealing with ALS?
When someone watches the film, I hope, it becomes clear why ALS felt like something to explore in the context of this story.
But, it’s a horrific disease, and sadly research is underfunded. So although my little odd duck movie likely won’t cast a massive light on the disease, it’s been nice to hear that some people in the community are excited that we’re talking about it in our own way.
I will say, during research, as I interviewed people within the community, I was blown away. In the face of something so overwhelming and terrible, I encountered so many stories and philosophies brimming with radical optimism and hope. It ultimately re-shaped my movie and the hero’s path in the film.
In terms of writing, how tricky is it to have two separate stories that need to interlink?
All writing is a bit tricky. Writing is the best. And it’s hard. And impossible. And makes you want to die. And sometimes it doesn’t.
One cool thing that does happen with interlinking stories is that the more drafts you write, the more connections you start seeing. And then you get to go back and mine them and wind it tighter together.
How excited are you to be screening New Life at Frightfest?
Friday night, in London, on an IMAX? Fucking pinch me. It’s hard for me to describe how excited I am.
I do want to thank Paul and Greg at FrightFest. To be blunt, this is such a hard, isolating process sometimes. So to have the support of programmers at such an incredible festival means the world to me.
Bloody Flicks 